Composite yarn with fiberglass core

Abstract

The present invention relates to a yarn core construction suitable for forming a flexible composite yarn having a fiberglass component. The resulting yarn has good cut and abrasion resistance qualities without sacrificing knittability, flexibility and suppleness. A normally hard to knit fiberglass strand is wrapped with a sheath strand at a rate of at least 8 turns per inch. The core thus formed provides all of the benefits of a fiberglass supported yarn without experiencing any of the manufacturing difficulties normally associated with fiberglass yarns. The core may also be provided with a multi-layer covering to balance the yarn and to further improve knittability.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composite yarn comprising: a) a core consisting of i) a substantially untwisted fiberglass strand having a denier of between about 100 and about 1200;   ii) a non-metallic sheath strand having a denier of between about 200 and about 700, the sheath strand being wrapped around the fiberglass strand at the rate of at least 8 turns per inch, and     b. at least one cover strand wrapped around the core at a rate of between about 6 and about 12 turns per inch,   whereby the sheath strand permits the fiberglass strand to be knitted using conventional knitting equipment.   
     
     
       2. The composite yarn of claim 1 wherein said sheath is from a textured yarn. 
     
     
       3. The composite yarn of claim 1 wherein said sheath strand is formed of fibers or filaments selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyethylene, aramid, nylon, and polyester. 
     
     
       4. The composite yarn of claim 1 wherein said sheath strand has a denier of about 375. 
     
     
       5. The composite yarn of claim 1 further comprising a second non-metallic cover strand wrapped on said yarn, said second cover being wrapped about said at least one cover strand in a direction opposite that of the at least one cover strand, wherein the yarn has a composite denier of from about 1800 to about 5000. 
     
     
       6. The composite yarn of claim 5 wherein said second non-metallic cover is wrapped at a rate of about 7 to 11 turns per inch. 
     
     
       7. The composite yarn of claim 5 wherein said second non-metallic cover is wrapped at a rate of about 8 to about 9 turns per inch. 
     
     
       8. The composite yarn of claim 5 wherein said second non-metallic cover has a denier of between about 400 and about 800. 
     
     
       9. The composite yarn of claim 5, wherein second non-metallic cover has a denier of about 650. 
     
     
       10. The composite yarn of claim 5 wherein said bottom cover strand is formed of fibers or filaments selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyethylene, aramid, nylon, and polyester. 
     
     
       11. A flexible composite, cut and abrasion resistant yarn comprising: a) a non-metallic composite core consisting of: i) a first fiberglass strand;   ii) a second fiberglass strand, the second fiberglass stand being substantially parallel to and in untwisted relationship with the first fiberglass strand, wherein the first and second fiberglass strands have a combined denier of between about 200 and about 600;   iii) a sheath strand having a denier of between about 200 to about 600, the sheath strand being wrapped around the first and second fiberglass strands at the rate of at least 8 turns per inch whereby the sheath strand permits the fiberglass strand to be knitted using conventional knitting equipment; and     b) a non-metallic covering wrapped on said core, said covering including: i) a bottom cover strand wrapped about the core in a first direction, the bottom cover having a denier of about 650 an being formed of fibers or filaments of extended chain polyethylene;   ii) a top cover strand wrapped about said bottom cover strand in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the top cover strand having a denier of about 400 and being formed from fibers of filaments of nylon,     wherein the yarn has a composite denier of between about 1800 and about 5000.   
     
     
       12. A flexible, composite, cut and abrasion resistant yarn comprising: a) a non-metallic composite core consisting of: i) a substantially untwisted single fiberglass strand having a denier of between about 100 and about 1200;   ii) a sheath strand having a denier of between about 200 and about 600, the sheath strand being wrapped around the single fiberglass strand at a rate of at least 8 turns per inch whereby the sheath strand permits the fiberglass strand to be knitted using conventional knitting equipment; and     b) a non-metallic covering wrapped on said core, said covering including: i) a bottom cover strand wrapped about the core in a first direction, the bottom cover having a denier of between about 400 and about 800;   ii) a top cover strand wrapped about said bottom cover strand in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the top cover strand having a denier of between about 400 and about 800,     wherein the yarn has a composite denier of between about 1800 and about 5000.   
     
     
       13. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said sheath strand is formed from a textured yarn. 
     
     
       14. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said sheath strand is formed of fibers or filaments selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyethylene, aramid, nylon, and polyester. 
     
     
       15. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said sheath strand has a denier of about 375. 
     
     
       16. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said bottom cover is wrapped about said core at a rate of about 7 to 10 turns per inch. 
     
     
       17. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said bottom cover strand is wrapped about said core at a rate of about 8 to 9 turns per inch. 
     
     
       18. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said bottom cover strand has a denier of between about 400 and about 800. 
     
     
       19. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said bottom cover strand has a denier of about 650. 
     
     
       20. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said bottom cover strand is formed of fibers or filaments selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyethylene, aramid, nylon, and polyester. 
     
     
       21. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said top cover is wrapped about said core and said bottom cover at a rate of about 8 to about 11 turns per inch. 
     
     
       22. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said top cover is wrapped about said core and said bottom cover at a rate of about 9 to about 10 turns per inch. 
     
     
       23. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said top cover strand has a denier of between about 400 and about 800. 
     
     
       24. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said top cover strand has a denier of about 500. 
     
     
       25. The composite yarn of claim 12 wherein said top cover strand is formed of fibers or filaments selected from the group consisting of extended chain polyethylene, aramid, nylon, and polyester. 
     
     
       26. A flexible, cut and abrasion resistant composite yarn comprising: a) a non-metallic composite core consisting of: i) a single substantially untwisted fiberglass strand having a denier of between about 100 and about 1200;   ii) a sheath strand, said strand formed of extended chain polyethylene and having a denier of between about 375 and about 650, the sheath strand being wrapped around the fiberglass strand at the rate of 12 to 14 turns per inch whereby the sheath strand permits the fiberglass strand to be knitted using conventional knitting equipment; and     b) a non-metallic covering wrapped on said core, said covering including: i) a bottom cover strand formed of extended chain polyethylene wrapped about said core in a direction opposite that of the sheath strand, the bottom cover strand having a denier of about 650; and   ii) a top cover strand formed of polyester and wrapped about said core and said bottom cover strand in a direction opposite that of the bottom cover, the top cover strand having a denier of between about 500 and about 1000,     wherein the yarn has a composite denier of between about 1800 and about 5000.   
     
     
       27. A flexible composite, cut and abrasion resistant yarn comprising: a core consisting of a) a first fiberglass strand;   b) a second fiberglass strand, the second fiberglass strand being substantially parallel to and in untwisted relationship with the first fiberglass strand, wherein the first and second fiberglass strands have a combined denier of about between about 200 and about 600;   c) a sheath strand having a denier of between about 200 to 600, the sheath strand being wrapped around the first and second fiberglass strands at the rate of at least 8 turns per inch, and   d) at least one cover strand wrapped around the core at a rate of between about 6 and about 12 turns per inch,     whereby the sheath strand permits the fiberglass strands to be knitted using conventional knitting equipment.